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Hot off the heels of its 2010 C30 R-Design revamp with a sport-tuned chassis, Volvo has introduced another special version of its stylish three-door hatchback – but this one emphasizes efficiency over performance. Looking every bit like a standard C30, Volvo‘s C30 BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) prototype has been built in small quantities and is currently being tested internally. The C30 BEV prototype comes ahead of a plug-in hybrid, set for production in 2012, and a research program gauging the viability of an all-electric production vehicle.

“The Volvo C30 is the first model we will try out with electric power,” said Lennart Stegland, director of Volvo Cars Special Vehicles. “This car’s excellent properties in city traffic and its relatively low weight make it particularly suitable, since electric cars are primarily expected to be used in and around cities and for daily commuting.”

Volvo has outfitted its C30 BEV with a lithium-ion batterythat can be recharged using a conventional home electrical outlet in about eight hours. An electric motor is stowed under the front hood, where an engine would ordinarily reside, but placement of the batteries is still under development with numerous positions being researched. Volvo says the most viable locations so far are the prop shaft tunnel or the area that would ordinarily house the fuel tank. Both are located within the car’s crumple zone for optimum safety.

The Volvo C30 BEV is currently limited to a top speed of 80 mph, sufficient for most owners, Volvo says, and takes 11 sec. to reach 62 mph. The car will have a range of around 93 miles.